St. Louis County, Mo (KSDK) -- A St. Louis County Police officer is the D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year.

Officer Kathy Kelly of the St. Louis County Police Patrol Ancillary Serivces Unit.

She was presented withthe national award at a ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia.

Officer Kelly joined the St. Louis County Police Department in 1985 and became a DARE Officer in 1991. She has been a St. Louis County Police DARE Officer for 21 years and was honored as the Missouri DARE Officer of the year in 2008. To become the National DARE Officer, she was chosen from among 50 candidates, one from each state.